Pinheiro admits anti-government forces commit crimes of war and against humanity. According to COI's report:

"The violations and abuses committed by anti-Government armed groups did not, however, reach the intensity and scale of those committed by Government forces and affiliated militia."

At the same time it says:

"Anti-Government armed groups have committed war crimes, including murder, sentencing and execution without due process, torture, hostage-taking and pillage."

"They continue to endanger the civilian population by positioning military objectives in civilian areas." Government soldiers and noncombatant civilians were executed in cold blood "without due process."

Syria's permanent HCR representative Fayssal al-Hamwi addressed the body. He accused it of premeditated exaggerations. It paid little attention to vital information too important to ignore.

"In spite of our warnings against using sectarian expressions," he said, "basically rejected by the Syrian society, the committee used such terms and ignored in its conclusions and recommendations the causes of deteriorating the social and economic situation, including the unjust unilateral sanctions imposed by some Arab and western countries on the Syrian people."